Sisters' Peace
by frzstorytime
Summary: So here it is, the official version of Sisters' Peace, the Frozen "Sequel" I would write a synopsis, but it's pretty hard without spoiling anything yet. Sorry. Leaving reviews helps me tremendously, I can't improve the writing if no one critiques it. I will be updating this constantly. If you are from /frz/, I love you, and I always will.
1. Chapter 1

When the sun emerged over the tips of the eastern mountains and cast its light through the window of the bedchamber, the bright, orange glow that filled the room was enough to wake Kristoff. Careful not to wake his bride-to-be, he slowly lifted himself out of the bed and softly onto the floor. As he did this, he couldn't help but stare at his sleeping beauty. Her teal eyes hidden beneath resting eyelids, the way her mouth lay slightly open as she slept. Her cute little nose, the freckles sprawled across her face. Her strawberry hair, pleasing to his eyes even as she slept with it messily placed around her face. Even the way she snored made him smile. Everything about her was just so amazing. So beautiful. _So perfect._

Arendelle's Ice Master and Deliverer, continuing to keep quiet, began getting dressed across the room from the sleeping princess. With the wedding in only a week, Arendelle still had much to do in preparation for the ceremony. It being his own wedding, Elsa had begged Kristoff to relax before the big day.

"I know it's usually your job to supply the ice for the wedding, after all I did give you that job. But I'm asking you to let someone else do it, just this once." Elsa had said, pacing in front of her throne.

"No. I'm sorry Elsa, not for Anna's wedding. It has to be perfect. She asked for ice sculptures, and she's going to get them. Her way. That means only the best ice. I'm not leaving that to some stranger." replied Kristoff.

"Kristoff, please. Anna's going to need someone while I prepare Arendelle for the ceremony. You should know better than anyone, we can't just leave her alone with only a few weeks until the wedding. Hasn't she been through enough?" Elsa's pacing had begun to intensify.

"Yeah, she has, because of you. Anna needed you, and you weren't there for her."

"Look, Kristoff, I'm trying, but-"

"Exactly. You're _trying_. After all those years of leaving Anna in the cold, you finally had a chance to reconnect with her. But look at you, a year later and you're still putting other people's needs before your sister's. You say Anna's all you care about, yet here you are, leaving her by herself right before the wedding." Elsa's pacing stopped.

"You really think Anna isn't what I care about most? What I live for? I kept myself from Anna to keep her safe. Now I can't get those years back, I know, but what I did, I did for her."

"And now? Are the preparations really that much more important than being with Anna? This is what I'm talking about, Elsa. She still needs you, and you're still not putting her first!"

"No Kristoff. I need to get Arendelle ready for _her_ wedding. You're the one not putting Anna first. She needs _you_ right now, so just let someone else deal with the ice, please!"

"And why not you Elsa? Why don't you make the ice? You haven't used your powers in nearly four months. Now, I appreciate the business, but you're not making any sense. If you want someone other than me to get the ice, then you're going to have to do it. Otherwise, you can count on me to do my job."

"Kristoff, please. You know I can't use my powers-"

"No Elsa, that's what you keep saying! But you haven't told anyone why you won't. Not even Anna. If you'd just tell us, maybe we could-"

"I...I just can't. Please, just let someone else do it. For Anna."

"Elsa, you know I love her, but it's not me that's being difficult here. I'm going to get the ice for our wedding. There's not much I can control, but this, this is something I can. Now, if we're done here, I'm going to go find Anna." And with that, Kristoff had left.

By the time Kristoff had finished getting dressed, the room was fully lit by the now completely emerged sun. _Why isn't she using her powers? _Kristoff had been unable to sleep since his fight with Elsa. _It's not important right now. I need to get going._ Kristoff glanced to where Anna slept, but she wasn't there. He turned towards the voice behind him.

"Good morning," said Anna with a heartwarming smile, "How'd you sleep?"

"Perfectly," Kristoff lied, placing his hands on Anna's freckled shoulders, "I always do when I'm with you."

"Good." she said. Anna gracefully put her hands on Kristoff's in-need-of-shave face and kissed him. "I love you." said Anna.

"Like an open door?" joked Kristoff, a grin on his face. Anna made a fist and hit him in the shoulder, smiling too.

"Come with me," said Anna, grabbing Kristoff by the hand and tugging him along as she walked. "I want to show you something. I made it especially for you. I don't know if you'll like it, of course, but I at least hope-"

"I'll be back before sundown," stopped Kristoff, "and hopefully this will be the last of the ice we need. Then, we can spend the next few days together. Just the two of us. You can show me then."

"No," said Anna, still smiling, "you're coming with me whether you like it or not." She returned to pulling Kristoff, to no avail.

"Anna," spoke Kristoff, softly, "If I don't leave now, I won't have enough time to get back from the mountain before dark."

"But do you really have to go again? I made this just for you. I want you to see it," said Anna, walking between him and the door. Her smile was gone, "It's lonely without you and Elsa." Kristoff could see the tears welling behind her eyes.

"I know, but I just want this one thing to be right for you." said Kristoff. He kissed Anna again. "But I really have to go, now." he made for the door, but stopped to turn around. "Anna,"

"Kristoff?" replied Anna; a hopeful smile appeared on her face. The room seemed brighter now, with her standing there.

"I love you." said Kristoff, but he stumbled on the words. Anna held her hand over her mouth to cover a giggle. Kristoff turned and left. As he disappeared, Anna's hand dropped from her face. Her smile faded. She slowly walked toward her bed, laid herself down, and buried her face in a pillow. She began to cry.


	2. Chapter 2

For a moment, the Prince contemplated abandoning the island and swimming out to certain death. _It would be a better fate than that which waits if I stay here_. He decided against it. Instead, he turned away from the crashing waves and began to make his way up the beach and toward camp. The white sand felt pleasing between his toes. _How did I end up here?_ It had only been a few days after leaving Arendelle that _Southern Storm_ had encountered, well, a storm. _And now the ship that was meant to take me home lies not eight-hundred yards away, at the bottom of the ocean._ Most had died quickly, drowning beneath the power of the waves. But the others. _They were smashed against the rocks like a snowball thrown against a castle._ Hans was one of four to make it to shore on a piece of the wreckage. The first had died from a wound to his stomach before the sun had set on the first night. The other two had abandoned Hans in search of other survivors. _Am I really that poor of company?_ It was a thought that had troubled Hans up until he had met the island's inhabitants.

Six in number, the people had welcomed him with open arms, and he them. Deep within a cave, their home had proven unexpectedly comfortable. Not only was there a surplus of food, but a mountain stream that ran through their camp gave plenty of fresh water. There were even beds crafted from animal furs, though only six. This left Hans to sleep on the cave floor at first. They had been kind enough to give him blankets until they had finally made him a bed of his own. Now, after what seemed like a year, Hans had grown rather fond of these people, but the girl in particular. Nearly four years old, Lea had lived her entire life on the island. The three men had been protective of Lea, keeping sure not to let Hans near her, but slowly that changed as the group accepted Hans as one of their own. Hans was the closest thing to a friend the little girl had, as the others were always much too busy working to play with her. Hans, however, had always relied on Lea for support, whether she knew it or not.

By the time Hans had made it to the cave, the moon was already casting its glow on the island. He made his way through the dark, no longer needing sight or other guidance to maneuver his way to the others. When he reached the lit camp, Lea ran up to him. The girl's auburn hair was thrown wildly around her face. He bent down and gave her a hug.

"What'd I miss while I was away?" asked Hans, pushing a stray hair from Lea's face to its proper place on her head. A look of excitement jumped to the girl's face.

"Oh, I almost caught that monster, but he got away just before I reached him," Lea giggled. It had been her obsession for weeks, the monster that dwelled in their resident cave. Although, as it seemed to Hans, Lea never got more than a glimpse of its shadow before it disappeared.

"Well, next time, you should try using this," spoke Hans in a joking voice, handing her a conch shell he had found on the beach that morning. "This will make you fast enough to catch that monster."

"How does it work?" eagerly asked Lea, her bright blue eyes open wide. Hans could tell the girl was excited.

"Well, when you see the monster, if you just believe in the magic of the shell, it will work."

"I'm going to find that monster!" exclaimed Lea, running off into the cave.

"Be careful," Hans yelled, laughing. Growing up on the island seemed to have made Lea smarter than most four year olds Hans had seen. But that didn't mean she was immune to childish fantasies. As he made his way toward the camp, and Lea's mother, Hans noticed a strange look on the woman's face.

"Is something wrong?" asked Hans. He sat down next to the woman.

"No," she said. Tears began to fill her eyes. "It's just you're so good for Lea. If you weren't here, she'd be all by herself."

"That's not true at all," Hans replied. He almost put his hands around her for comfort, but decided against it.

"Yes it is," she said, crying now, "Her father and I are too busy keeping the camp running to be able to give her the care she needs. I know it's a horrible thing to say, but if you hadn't been shipwrecked by that storm on...what was it?"

"A trade voyage," lied Hans. He had decided when he first met these people on the island to keep his past a secret. It would do no good telling them of what he'd done. "I was on a trading voyage."

"If your ship hadn't wrecked on that trading voyage, if you hadn't ended up on this island, I don't know what would have happened to Lea."

"I'm sure it would have fine-"

"No, it wouldn't. I'm surprised she was happy as long as she was by herself-"

"Stop it," said Hans, gently. "I'm sure it wasn't that bad, you and your husband are excellent parents."

"Are we though?" she asked. Tears running down her cheeks, she walked into her tent, leaving Hans alone. _What was that all about?_ Hans stood, dusted the dirt off the back of his pants, and made for his tent.

Hans awoke to the sound of footsteps in his tent. He rubbed his eyes and sat up, only to find Lea sitting on the bottom of his bed.

"Morning already?" smiled Hans. It didn't seem like he'd been asleep for long. Lea leaned over and put a finger over his lips.

"No," Lea whispered, her hair even messier than before, "it's the middle of the night."

"And you're still up?" joked Hans, "isn't it past your bedtime?" Lea hit him in the stomach, causing an unexpected amount of pain. She looked at him and smiled.

"Come on, I want to show you something," she said, pulling Hans out of bed. He followed her to the cave's exit.

"We're going outside?" he asked. _What could this be? _"You know you're not supposed to go out by yourself-"

"Just a little farther," she said in an anxious voice. They were going toward the beach. "Close your eyes." He obeyed.

When they finally stopped walking and Lea allowed Hans to open his eyes, they were standing in the middle of the beach.

"I see sand," joked Hans. Lea giggled.

"Look, silly. Over there," Lea pointed at the ocean. Not two-hundred yards away was a ship. "What is it?" asked Lea, sitting down on the sand. Hans didn't sit. Hans didn't speak. "Well?" Lea asked impatiently. It took Hans a moment to gather himself, and when he did, he only said one word.

"Home."


	3. Chapter 3

When Hans re-entered the cave he was greeted by the eager faces of the camp's occupants, all except Lea's mother, who merely stared blankly at her own feet. Her ordinarily well-kept head of dark hair was now strewn wildly about her head, her eyes red and puffy. Lea's father approached as the prince hastily began rummaging through the camp's supplies.

"Where's Lea?" he asked in a hushed tone. Though his face did not show it, Hans could tell he was worried.

"On the beach," replied Hans, not looking up as he continued to search the pile of assorted items.

"And just what is she doing there? She's not allowed to leave the cave at night!" he yelled angrily. Hans was losing his patience as well. _Be that as it may, you'll be glad she broke that rule tonight. _

"It's not here," spoke Hans quickly, moving across the room to a different pile. Lea's father followed.

"Why is my daughter alone on the beach? I won't ask you again-"

"She's helping get us off this island," spoke Hans with exuberance. He had found what he was looking for. Lea's father stood in silence, staring at Hans. The other residents did the same. Even Lea's mother looked up, but not to Hans. She hurried clumsily to her husband and wrapped her arms around him, tears running down her cheeks. _Good tears._ Grabbing the torch from the clutter that lay in front of him, Hans ran toward the fire in the camp's center. He lit the torch. "You'd best come with me," he called to Lea's father. The man obeyed.

As the two made their way out of the cave, a sound like that of a horn could be heard in the distance.

"What is that?" inquired Lea's father, making sure to keep up with Hans' rushed pace.

"A conch shell," smiled Hans.

They arrived at the beach and were greeted by the sight of Lea, her mouth still pressed against the conch, happily blowing away on the shell. Hans ran toward Lea, trailed by her father. As they approached, the noise of the conch was hard enough on the men's ears to cause them both to flinch. He frantically set his gaze upon the black sea ahead. Hans could no longer make out a ship in the darkness. For a moment, Hans considered taking the shell from the smiling girl. Instead, he opted to speak over the noise.

"Is...Is it gone?" Hans loudly asked the girl, nervously staring at the ocean in front of him. She lowered the conch on her own.

"Over there," she replied, pointing to his right. Even with Lea's guidance, Hans could barely see the silhouette of the ship, now three-hundred yards from shore. The prince raised the torch over his head, waving it back and forth.

"Can they see you?" Lea's father asked Hans, anxiously. When Hans ignored him, too focused on the task at hand to hear him speak, he turned to his daughter. The man's light hair seemed orange in the torchlight. "Lea, come here. You had me and your mother so worried-"

"Blow on the shell again," interrupted Hans, lowering his torch. He turned to face her, bent down, and put his empty hand on Lea's shoulder. She smiled. "Blow on the shell so we can all go home." He pushed a stray hair into its place on her head. It made no difference to the girl's appearance, but Hans couldn't help himself; her hair would retain its messy, ill-kept look until the next time it was washed. _Let's hope that's under the deck of a ship._ Hans stood and returned to waving the torch back and forth above his head, more eagerly than before. Lea resumed her merry trumpeting of the conch. After what seemed like the longest forty-five seconds of Hans' life, he noticed a faint light coming from the ship, moving in rhythm with his torch.

By the time the ship had anchored offshore and its crew reached the island, the sun's warm glow already covered the white sands of the island. When the men of _The Princess_ made their way onto land, the island's inhabitants had already cleared the cave of supplies, and had placed them on the beach. By the way the other men's postures changed when he stepped onto land, Hans identified the last man of _The Princess_' crew to arrive ashore as the captain. Hans was not the only one, however, as the captain had been hurriedly approached by Lea's father, who quietly whispered something that was only audible to the two men. Pointing away from the beach and deeper into the island, the captain had nodded, awaiting a response. Lea's father nodded in return, and the two had disappeared in that direction, behind the brush. When they had returned to the beach not fifteen minutes later, Lea's father had walked toward Hans.

"You see that man?" he asked Hans, pointing to the captain, who was now talking with his crew.

"The captain, you mean?" replied Hans. _What were you two talking about?_ "Yes, I see him."

"Good eye," Lea's father spoke, in a tone which indicated he was genuinely impressed. He motioned the other two men from camp to his side. Looking at all three men, Lea's father spoke, "See that man over there?" he asked them, his finger now pointed toward the captain, "He's the captain," he said, turning toward Hans before continuing to speak, "and he says we leave first thing in the morning. Now men," he returned to addressing the whole group, no longer pointing at the captain, "most of us have waited four years to get off this island, and now we have to wait _one more day_." As he said the last three words, he made a fist with his right hand and banged it on his left in cadence, pausing when he was done. He returned his gaze to Hans. "Do you know what that means?"

"Freedom," Hans spoke, addressing the group as a whole, "for us." He looked past the men and to Lea, who was sitting on the white, glittering sand. Hans had washed her hair that morning, and it looked beautiful. The sunlight glimmered in her hair, making it glow like fire. She looked as perfect sitting there as he had ever seen her. "But more importantly," She was running her fingers along the side of the conch shell now, staring at the ocean. "For those we love." The men erupted into a cheer. All except Hans. He walked over to Lea's place in the sand.

"Is this seat taken?" he asked, gracefully.

She looked up him and giggled, before returning her gaze to the sea. She patted the sand next to her, with an equal amount of grace.

The prince sat.


	4. Chapter 4

As the Queen's ship, _The Loving Snowman_, floated into the bay, Elsa realized how different Arendelle looked than when she had left just two weeks before. The walls of the city, every corner of the castle, had been refurbished with fresh stone. Ribbons, hundreds of feet in length, decorated with varying shades of green, pink, blue, and yellow covered the rooftops of nearly every building in honor of Anna and Kristoff's upcoming wedding. _The Loving Snowman_ pulled up to its place in the docks of Arendelle and dropped anchor. As the queen emerged from the ship and began making her way toward the castle, she was met on the docks by huge gatherings of people, all cheering for her return. She did her best smile as she walked; though she did not believe the people were convinced of their Queen's happiness. _How could I be happy?_ During her two week venture, Elsa had hoped that with luck she might find a solution to her problem. But if there was one thing Elsa had been lacking of late, it was luck. She had instead received nothing other than news that was worse than she could have even imagined. _Now's not the time or place to dwell on that. Right now, all that matters is that you appear happy. _She gracefully extended her arms and touched the outstretched hands of the crowd that bordered either side of her as she walked. She realized the smile had faded from her face. _Remember to smile._ She did.

The voices of the crowd grew softer and quieter still as the castle's gates closed behind Elsa, until they were nothing more than a nearly imperceptible hum. The gardens seemed to have been kept in perfect condition, not a flower pedal out of place. _Maybe I should leave more often. _Elsa quickly disregarded the thought, slightly off put by the thought of leaving Arendelle again anytime soon. It was her home. Not only her home, but Anna, and Kristoff's as well. _Governing the city is hard work, but Arendelle needs me. Anna needs me. And I need her._ Much had been achieved in the Queen's absence, but it seemed to Elsa there was still too much to be done. _I'll just have to work extra hard. For Anna._

The last time they had spoken, Elsa and Kristoff had ended on far worse terms than she would have liked. In fact, the argument had been so volatile, had hurt Elsa deep enough, that it nagged at her during the entirety of her voyage. _He shouldn't have brought up Anna. _She pondered the thought for a few moments. _Did he bring up Anna? Or did I?_ The Queen did her best to push the thought from her mind. Either way, she'd have to make it up to Kristoff. Walking up to the castle doors, Elsa reached for the handle, but the doors pushed open against her, knocking Elsa off her feet and to the ground.

"Are you alright?" asked Kristoff, a look quite similar to worry, but much closer to embarrassment, sprawled across his face. "I'm so sorry," he spoke, reaching to pull Elsa to her feet. "I didn't mean to, uh, it was...if I had known you were on the other side-"

"It's nothing," Elsa stopped him, smiling. If Kristoff was anything, it was sincere. It was what she admired most about him. He would make a perfect husband for Anna. She grabbed hold of Kristoff's arm as he pulled her upright. "It was an accident," she said, brushing the dirt off her dress, "they happen." Kristoff stared back at her, trying not to laugh. It was all she could do to hold back a giggle. At the same moment, they burst into laughter. Kristoff gathered himself first.

"Elsa, look-" he tried to say, but the Queen interrupted.

"No, Kristoff," her smile vanished, an anxious look taking its place. She began to bite her lip. Situations like this weren't one of Elsa's strengths. "I owe you an apology."

"No you don't," bounced back Kristoff. He was being persistent; she had to give him that. "I shouldn't have said what I did. I crossed the line-"

"Yes, you did," responded Elsa, irritation in her voice. She instantly regretted it, "I'm...I shouldn't have snapped."

"No, it's...its fine. I never should have said anything to begin with." He was staring intently at Elsa now. It made her uncomfortable. "Look, I'm sorry I crossed the line, and I'm sorry I didn't hire someone else to get the ice for my wedding. I messed up." Kristoff looked away, "But I need to get going." Kristoff walked past Elsa and began the way from which she had just come. Elsa grabbed his arm. He stopped and turned.

"Why don't you take Anna with you?" Elsa asked. She held her breath, a hopeful look visible on her face.

"I don't know," said Kristoff, rubbing the back of his neck, "I hadn't thought of that. Are you sure that'd be a good idea?"

"Of course," exclaimed Elsa, "she'll love it!" Elsa was smiling now. Kristoff shook his head.

"I'm already running late as it is."

"Yes, but-" Elsa tried to speak, but he stopped her.

"No." Kristoff put his hands up as he talked, "it's not going to happen." The Queen's smile turned to a look of despair as Kristoff turned and walked away. She just stood there, watching him leave. After a moment, she turned around herself. Elsa made her way through the entranceway, past the ballroom, and up the stairs.

Outside of Anna's door, Elsa could hear her sister crying. She knocked, and heard the sound of Anna sitting up in her bed.

"Who is it?" Anna choked in a pleasant tone, trying to keep her sobs inaudible. She was doing a poor job.

"Your sister, Elsa. Can I come in?" Anna only halfway managed to respond, disregarding all previous attempts to hold back her tears. Elsa took it as a yes, and opened the door. She made her way toward Anna, who had shoved her face back into the pillow to resume crying. Elsa sat on the edge of the bed and put a hand on her sister.

"Do you want to talk about it?" asked Elsa, trying to sound as pleasant as possible. Anna made no move to respond, continuing to sob uncontrollably into her pillow. Elsa began to brush her sister's hair back behind the ears with her hand. "There, there," spoke Elsa, softly, "I'm right here when you need me. I'm not going _anywhere_." Elsa wrapped her arms around Anna and kissed the back of her sister's head. Gently, she began to rock her little sister back and forth. A single tear rolled down the Queen's cheek, completely ignored. All that mattered in the entire world was Anna.


	5. Chapter 5

When Anna re-entered the bedchamber, she had washed herself and dressed. Her hair was fixed in two braids that fell past her shoulders. Elsa smiled, nodding in approval.

"You look lovely," said Elsa, standing from her seat on the bed and walking toward Anna.

"Thank you," replied Anna, twirling her braid with a finger. She was blushing. Elsa put a hand on her sister's shoulder. Anna responded by embracing her sister. She stood there, not letting go, "You don't know how hard it's been without you," spoke Anna. Sadness swept across her face, "Kristoff may as well have been with you for the past two weeks, he's been gone so much." Elsa took a step back, letting go of Anna.

"He hasn't been around at all?" Elsa asked. Her voice was uneasy, but Anna didn't notice.

"He's here in the mornings and nights," shrugged Anna. She no longer looked sad, more confused than anything, "but you know that. He's harvesting the ice for our wedding." Elsa looked confused as well.

"He's been going out every day?" asked Elsa. This time Anna recognized what Elsa meant.

"Is it not supposed to take that long?" spoke Anna, her voice sullen. _No, it's not._ Elsa could see tears beginning to build up behind her sister's eyes. She was awaiting the Queen's answer.

"Oh, of course," Elsa lied. _Remember to smile._ "It is. I'm just surprised Kristoff actually has the patience to do it all himself. He can be a bit...lazy." Elsa tried her best to smile. Anna's expression returned to one of glee, and she hugged her sister a second time.

"You're wrong though," Anna said, smiling. "Kristoff is the most dedicated, hardworking, compassionate, and-" Elsa interrupted her sister, placing a finger over Anna's lips. _Sincere. She was going to say sincere._

"I get it," Elsa told her sister, grinning. Anna giggled. "So then what were you just crying about?" the Queen asked, worried she might re-initiate the waterworks.

"While you've been gone, I've been making something for Kristoff. I even spent all of last night working to finish it, just so-"

"A wedding gift?" asked Elsa, smiling at her sister. "Those are supposed to wait until the wedding."

"Well it's not for the wedding," responded Anna, in a mocking tone of authority. Her face lit up. "Can I show you?" She was staring at her sister. Elsa nodded.

It was all Anna could do to hold back her excitement as she raced down the halls, pulling her sister along by the hand. Elsa, however, was focusing on something else. _Where has Kristoff been going every day?_ She didn't like the answer that entered her mind.

"We're here," Anna said, bouncing in front of the door. She held it open for her sister. "Ladies first," she giggled, covering her mouth with a hand. Elsa chuckled as well, walking through the door.

The room the Queen entered was the size of the ballroom, and it was completely void of furniture or decoration. All except for the farthest wall from where Elsa stood. The wall was completely covered in paint, hosting the most exquisite and well-crafted works of art she had ever seen. The colors, the fine detail, it was all so perfect. The massive painting depicted a wedding.

"It's so beautiful," gasped Elsa, walking toward Anna's creation, "you did this?" Anna nodded with a proud smile, the proudest Elsa had ever seen. The scene included Kristoff and Anna on the left, feeding one another cake. They were surrounded by all types of dancers and musicians, partying around the bride and groom. Elsa was surprised to see that the couple was not the focus of the work. It was the Queen, standing on a floor of ice in the center of the painting. She had captured every detail, from the perfection with which the hair had been painted to the dedication it must have taken to achieve the glittering effect of her dress. None of this, however, was what Elsa noticed most. It was the hands, creating a swirl of icy magic around the air.

"It's a pre-wedding gift for Kristoff. It's how I imagine the wedding will be," said Anna, excitedly running up to her sister. Elsa fell to her knees.

"No," spoke the Queen, "it won't." She wasn't thinking of the dancers, or even the married couple feeding one another cake. She was still focusing on the hands. Anna bent down to comfort her sister.

"But-"

"No," spoke Elsa. Her sister was talking of the Queen's two-week absence, whose purpose had been to help Elsa regain her powers. She had been seeking the wizards of Yaren, revered for their knowledge of magic, in hopes they might be able to help Elsa regain her powers. They had not been able to help. Instead, the men had given Anna's sister worse news, "I haven't just lost my power's," Elsa choked, beginning to cry. She didn't bother to find an easy way to say it, "I'm dying."

As Elsa lay there, crying on the floor of an almost empty room, Anna's face remained calm. She was thinking. After a few moments, Anna broke the silence.

"Elsa," spoke Anna, lifting her head from the Queen's back, "did they tell you why?"

"No," said a sniffling Elsa, sitting up. Her hair was a mess, "they couldn't tell me anything." She returned to crying.

"Come with me," said Anna, cheerfully pulling her sister to her feet. Elsa found it strange that Anna wasn't upset.

"Why?" she asked, not moving. Anna grabbed her sister by the arm and began tugging her toward the door.

"Because I know where the trolls are," smiled Anna. Elsa was confused.

"But how?" The trolls had disappeared right after the Great Thaw, much to Kristoff's disappointment. Had she been able, Elsa would have gone to them in the first place. "No one has seen the trolls in-"

"I saw them yesterday," Anna said, smiling, "I was going to tell Kristoff this morning, but," a look of sadness appeared on her face.

"So where have the trolls been?" said Elsa quickly, meaning to interrupt Anna's thoughts. Her sister looked back at her, smiling once more.

"You'll see."


	6. Chapter 6

The footprints left behind by Lea as she walked the edge of the beach were rhythmically being washed away by the ocean's waves as they ran up and down the sand. The moon and stars shone their light on the beach, making the little girl glow in an almost divine way. Hans couldn't sleep with freedom just hours away, but he wouldn't have even if he could. During his being stranded on the island with Lea, he had grown more attached to the girl than he could ever have thought possible. The prince loved watching her explore. He loved when Lea ran up to him, heart racing, to share a ludicrous idea with him or to inquire about a seemingly insignificant plant or rock. Everything about the girl resonated with Hans, best as he could tell, in the way it would if she were his daughter. Or, better yet, if she were his friend. The realization was almost enough to make him want to keep things the way they were, and stay on the island. Almost. It was a shame that as soon as he returned to the civilized world, Hans would have to say goodbye to being able to spend the entirety of his days with the girl. _I'm sure Lea's parents will let me live near their home. I'll be able to see Lea all the time._ The thought brought a smile to Hans' face, but only for a moment. _What if they live in Arendelle?_ The look on his face transformed to one of terror. _What if they find out the things I've done?_

When the girl returned from the water, she quietly tiptoed her way through the maze of sleeping men and to where Hans lay, sitting down beside her closest friend. She looked at the prince with shining blue eyes, both her hair and freckles glowing red in the light of the fire.

"Shouldn't you be asleep?" quipped the girl, pushing a finger into Hans' chest. He sat up, grabbing Lea by her shoulders, and pulled the girl into his arms.

"I was going to ask you the same question," he smiled. She made no move to break his embrace. Instead, she wrapped her arms around Hans. He could hear the nervousness in her voice.

"I can't sleep," the girl confided. She looked up into her friend's eyes.

"Me neither," spoke Hans, trying to comfort the girl. "Tomorrow we go home. I'm too scared to sleep." Lea squeezed him harder, her eyes shifting to the roaring black waves.

"But that's just it," she said, the hint of nervousness in her voice was stronger now. "I don't know anything about my home," she said, returning her look to Hans. "What if I don't like home as much as I like it here? What if..." Lea paused for a moment. Hans could see the glisten of water in her eyes. "...what if this island is my home?" She pressed her head against the prince's chest. He could feel a faint sobbing coming from her. "I don't want to leave. I want to stay here, with you." As the young girl cried in his arms, a thousand things flew around Hans' mind. But one thought was stronger than the rest. _So do I. _

Hans knew Lea would have to leave in the morning, whether she wanted to or not. As would he. The prince deemed that it would be best if she wanted to go, however, for her own sake. He tried to comfort the crying girl.

"It'll be great. There'll be boys and girl you're age to play with, and your house will be a thousand times more comfortable than that silly old cave." Instantly, Lea lifted her head. The words seemed to spark something in the girl. She had stopped crying.

"Two things," the girl said in a mocking tone of authority, raising her hand and lifting two fingers, as if to make certain Hans was clear on the number statements that were to follow. "First, I'm going to live in a castle, not a house. Secondly, the cave isn't silly." Hans chuckled.

"Oh?" he jokingly asked, "And what makes that cave so great?" Lea hit him in the shoulder, smiling.

"It's a nice cave," she spoke, giving Hans a glare that made it obvious how serious she was. Hans continued to jest.

"And since when are you a cave expert?" he asked, unable to hold back a huge grin. The girl blushed, embarrassed.

"Well, I'm not," the girl said in an uncharacteristically shy tone. Then her face lit up. "But I know someone who is," she said, smiling. "The monster." Hans couldn't help but laugh. _Castles and cave-dwelling monsters. __It never ends_. He decided to play along.

"So your monster is a cave expert, eh? How do you know? Have you talked to him?" The line of questioning didn't deter the young girl.

"Well...no, I haven't. But he could stay in any cave on the island, and he picked ours. Explain that." It took Hans a moment to remember she was being completely serious. Not wanting to dissuade Lea from engaging in future feats of her imagination, Hans decided to continue playing along.

"Why don't we go back to the cave, right now? If this _monster_ is there, we can ask him."

"What if he's not there?" bounced back Lea, staring up at Hans with eyes that now seemed green in the firelight. He reached a hand towards her head and ran his fingers through her hair.

"Then maybe you'll just have to accept that he's moved on," he said, a light chuckle escaping from his throat, "to a nicer cave than ours." Hans realized what he was saying, that he wasn't really talking about monsters. He was talking about himself, about the girl that sat in front of him soaking in every word as fact. He decided to use it as a chance to try and convince Lea that leaving the island was best. "And if he has moved on," Hans began, but he was interrupted by the girl, who spoke in a manner far wiser than her years.

"Then I guess I'll have to move on as well," she succumbed, accepting her time on the island was limited to only a few short hours more, "to a nicer cave."

"To a castle," he smiled. With that, the prince helped the girl to her feet, and they began making their way across the beach, disappearing behind the brush in the direction of the cave.

When the two reached the cave, the darkness in the sky had already begun to fade into a lighter complexion. _The ships will be leaving in a few hours._ The realization brought a feeling of joy into Hans' mind. _I'm going home._ This feeling, however, was unmatched by the pure ecstasy that filled Hans as he watched Lea run into the cave's mouth, reminding him of what he cared for the most.

"Find any monsters?" Hans called to Lea, a smile on his face as he approached the cave's entrance.

Silence.

"Lea?" he yelled, stopping to listen. All happy feelings had drained from him, now replaced with a fear of an equal intensity.

Hans heard a shriek from within the cave.

Without a second thought, the prince rushed into the cave, disappearing into the darkness faster than any man had the right to run.


	7. Chapter 7

Anna pulled Elsa through the castle's doors without breaking her furious pace. Elsa wondered where the trolls had managed to remain hidden for over a year, unsure as to how exactly her sister had found the creatures at all. Questions aside, however, there was one thing the Queen of Arendelle had to admit. _The timing is impeccable_. It was as if the trolls had revealed themselves just in time for Elsa's imminent demise to make itself known. Continuing to race through the courtyard, Anna seemed to read Elsa's mind.

"I'm sure the trolls will be able to fix...whatever..." she said, trying to sound cheerful, turning her head toward her sister as she ran, "...whatever's going on." Anna gave Elsa an anxious smile before turning back in the direction of her movement. Her grip around Elsa grew tighter. Not thinking to comfort her sister, the Queen asked the question that was undoubtedly on both of their minds.

"What if," she started, but her voice caught. She tried to cover the severity of her words with a mildly pleasant tone, continuing to speak, "what if they can't help me?" The words filled the air, crashing to her sister's ears as Anna instantly came to a halt. Elsa, not expecting the sudden stop, barely had time to slow down before she flew into her sister, sending them both to the ground. The older of the two girls spoke first.

"Anna, are you okay?" Elsa asked, frantically. Anna grabbed her sister and pulled her close for a compassionate embrace.

"I'm fine," she said. Elsa heard the faintest hint of a giggle, but it quickly subsided, Anna's voice turning to one of despair, "but what about you, Elsa? You're _not_ okay." The realization of the situation's gravity was hitting Anna like a freight train, "What if the trolls _can't_ fix you?" The sadness taking hold of her sister was enough to arouse Elsa's nurturing instincts. _Remember to smile._ She tried to give solace to the girl.

"They're going to make me better," said Elsa uncertainly, though she covered the true nature of her voice with a falsely confident tone. "And then we can cry on the ground by the gardens as much as you like," she joked, now sounding playful. Thrown back into reality, Anna looked toward the gardens.

"Oh," she exclaimed, smiling once more, "I hadn't even noticed we were so close." Anna stood, helping her sister to her feet.

"What?" replied a slightly confused Elsa, looking to the stretch of plant life, "What are you talking about?"

"The gardens, silly," quipped a buoyant Anna, "Where else did you think the trolls would be?" She began walking towards the gardens, but turned to face her sister, "you coming?" Elsa managed an affirmative as she too approached the foliage.

Just moments later the two girls were standing in the center of the gardens. The clearing, surrounded on all sides by trees, was barren of any plant life, aside from the thick green grass which kissed the bottom of Elsa's feet. A waterfall cascaded from above, emptying into a small pond. Anna rushed to the water, pulling her dress above her knees as she extended a foot into the cool rippling of the pond.

"Isn't it beautiful?" asked an eager Anna, breathing in the beauty around her as she sat down on the grass, gracefully placing her other leg into the water. Elsa had to agree. Flowers of assorted colors dotted the ground, making the grass seem even softer than it already was. The light flowed over the tops of the surrounding trees and into the waterfall, creating a rainbow, and the only sound was the gentle bubbling of the pond. But all of this was unmatched by the beauty of the girl smiling at the Queen with teal eyes.

"I've never seen anything more beautiful," Elsa admitted, "it's perfect." She smiled and slowly moved towards her sister.

"This is where I go when I feel alone," Anna said, tentatively, extending her hand toward a duck in the center of the water. It swam to the princess, gracefully climbing onto her hand. Running her fingers through the creature's golden feather's, she turned her head to Elsa and spoke. "I've been coming here a lot lately." The crestfallen expression on her sister's face made it clear to Elsa that Anna was hurting. The Queen changed the subject.

"So, these trolls," she shrugged, "where are they?" The question served its intended purpose flawlessly, the look on Anna's face transforming to one of excitement as she stood. The duck returned to the pond with a quack, and the girl motioned for Elsa to follow, walking toward the waterfall at a brisk pace.

"All the times I came to this place," she said, stepping onto a rock by the base of the waterfall, "and I never knew." Anna jumped from the rock and disappeared behind the waterfall.

"Anna?" yelled Elsa, running to the place from where her sister had jumped, "Is everything okay?"

"We're fine," called the princess from behind the water, "just jump across. Trust me." Elsa hesitantly did as her sister asked, and climbed onto the rocks, realizing what the girl had said. _We?_ She jumped into the waterfall, trusting her sister's words, and landed on soft patch of grass. Looking up, she realized that she was staring into a huge cave. In front of her stood Anna, accompanied by a dozen trolls, all gazing at the Queen.

"This is-" Elsa began, standing from the soft grass to an upright position, but she was interrupted by Anna.

"Amazing," exclaimed Anna, grinning, "I know."

"How did you find this place?" asked Elsa, mouth hanging wide open as she examined the expanse of rocky terrain. Strange vegetation covered the bottom of the stream that flowed through the room, giving off a blue, fluorescent light all throughout the cave.

"Well," the princess said, interrupting Elsa's visual investigation of the cave. "I _might_ have slipped on the rocks out there," she said, shyly, pointing in the direction from which they had just entered.

"Why were you on the rocks in the first place?" asked Elsa, jokingly. Anna began to answer, but she was interrupted by the Queen. "Never mind, I already know," she said with a laugh, "you were dancing."

"And singing," Anna added with a chuckle, "don't forget about _these vocals,_" Anna sung the last few words of her statement for emphasis. Elsa covered a grin with her hand.

"I wouldn't dream of it," Elsa said with a smile, continuing to giggle. But the girls' mood was interrupted by a somber recollection. Anna was the first to speak.

"We need to see Pabbie," she said to the trolls, the smile gone from her face. She looked at Elsa with hopeful eyes, "We need his help." The trolls all began to mutter assorted phrases to one another, but one troll spoke above the noise.

"Follow me," he said, motioning for the girls to follow as he walked deeper into the cave. The sisters obeyed, glancing at one another for just a moment before going after the troll as he disappeared further into the expanses of rocky walls and blue light.

In a matter of a few minutes, the two girls arrived at a room that appeared to have been dug out by the trolls, separate from the natural depths of the cave. Their guide broke the silence, approaching the center of the dimly lit room. "Wake up, Grand Pabbie," he called to the ground, stomping his foot on the smooth stone floor, "Queen Elsa and Princess Anna are here. They need your help." In an instant, the elder troll emerged from the rocky ground, leaving a tunnel in his wake.

He quickly approached Elsa, not wasting a moment, motioning for the Queen's hand.

"Let me see," Pabbie spoke with a rushed yet tender voice. She extended her arm, the troll placing his hands on either side of hers, while Anna watched nervously, placing her hands over her mouth to hide her worry.

"Can you help her?" Anna asked, contributing her voice. Elsa could see the fear in her sister's eyes. "Can you help my _sister_?" The troll matched Anna's worried look with his own sympathetic gaze.

"She is dying," he spoke, calmly, though he clearly felt for the girls. "Elsa's powers were the first part of her to go," he paused, shifting his gaze to the girl whose hand he grasped, "and her life will be the last."

The words echoed through the silent room, smashing against the two sisters' ears like waves against a rock. Anna fell to her knees, a look of shock on her face, only now fully understanding the true direness of her sister's condition. Elsa remained on her feet, unmoving, as the troll removed his hands from hers.

"I am truly sorry," he said, turning away and beginning to move toward the tunnel from which he had emerged. Elsa called out.

"Is there _anything_ I can do?" she pleaded, now falling to her knees as well. The troll turned.

"Your heart is not whole," he said, plainly, "There is a part of you missing. Unless you can reunite with the missing part..." he trailed off, not needing to say more. His message was clear. With those words, however, Elsa heard the sound of Anna rushing toward her. When she turned to face her sister, Elsa's lips were met by those of Anna, who gently placed her hands on Elsa's cheeks while remaining lip-locked with her sister.

After a few moments, Anna slowly pulled away a few inches, staring at Elsa with bright eyes, leaving Elsa surprised to find herself disappointed by having now only the sensual feeling of her sister's warm breath on her face.

"Anything?" asked Anna, hopefully, awaiting a response from Elsa. The Queen shook her head. "Well, it was worth a shot," she said, winking. Elsa changed the subject, now addressing the troll.

"Why is it that I'm only now being affected? I haven't lost anything," The troll looked at her, shrugging.

"I don't know what keeps your heart from being whole," he said, "but it is possible..." he trailed off, deep in thought. He looked at the girls with a new realization, "It's possible," he continued, "that whatever your heart is missing, whatever you need to stay alive," he was now looking solely at Elsa, "is something new."

"What?" asked Elsa, "What does that mean?"

"There's something new to this world," he answered, surer of his idea now, "a few years, perhaps" He spoke with certainty, nodding as he spoke, "something you need," he paused, glancing at Anna, and then returned his eyes to Elsa, "quite desperately, I'm afraid."


	8. Chapter 8

As Hans ran through the darkness of the cave, guided only by his knowledge of its maze-like configuration, Lea's shrieks turned to cries for help. _She's calling your name. She needs you and you're not there._ The thought of losing Lea was enough to send Hans over the edge. _I'll find her. I will. But where is she?_ Though her periodic outbursts helped, she was moving, and the prince couldn't reach Lea's location before she screamed from a new, different place._ I need light_. But there wasn't time to go get light, to get help. By the time he could return, the girl would be swallowed by the cave's depths forever. _I have to find her._ Calling out, he desperately tried to calm Lea.

"Lea!" he screamed, his voice echoing through the cave and bouncing back from the darkness, "Everything is going to be _okay_. I just..." he trailed off, unsure of what to say. "I just...I can't find you." Comforting the girl would have to wait. All that mattered was finding Lea, "I need you to..." _What do I need?_ "Just keep yelling." The girl must have heard him, because at that moment she started crying out, her voice faintly echoing towards Hans' ears. _She's far away. And getting farther._ He sprinted in the direction of her voice, fighting to keep within an audible distance of her shrieks. He continued to run through the darkness in her direction. He was getting closer. Her voice was getting louder and-

He fell to the ground with a hard thud, having run face-first into a wall. Hans fought to stay awake, the world around him growing distant. He threw a hand to his head. It felt warm. And wet. Ignoring the searing pain in his head, he stumbled to his feet and tried to resume his pursuit of the girl. Lea's voice was growing quieter now.

"Lea," he screamed, frantically trying to reach the girl. The pain in his head was growing stronger. The sound of the girl had completely disappeared, and all of his worst fears were being realized. "I...I can't hear you, you have to yell louder. You have to-"

His body returned to the ground with gruesome force. He had collided with another rocky surface, and his right knee was growing numb, trying to fight the agonizing pain of the impact. As the prince lay there on the cave floor, he was slowly losing his grasp on reality. Everything was growing faint, the throbbing in his head growing stronger. He was fighting just to stay awake. He let loose an agonizing shriek.

"Lea!" he screamed, his voice echoing all around, "I can't..." he trailed off, a sob finding its way from his throat. The cave seemed darker now. He was losing consciousness, and with it any chance of finding Lea. "I can't..." he tried again, but he couldn't say the words._ I can't hear you._

Then, a sound filled Hans' ears. Had he tried, the prince would not have been able to orchestrate a sound more beautiful than that of a conch shell being blown in the recesses of the cave. Lea's resourcefulness had given him hope, and along with it, a rush of adrenaline. Using the walls for support, he climbed to his feet, making his way in the direction of the horn-like sound. With one hand on the wall and the other hand extended in front of him to prevent another crash with the surrounding stone, Hans limped through the cave. She was getting louder.

"I can hear you!" he shouted, the fear in his voice being taken over by hopefulness, "Keep it up! Just keep-" he was interrupted by the abrupt stop of Lea's blowing on the shell. "No, don't stop. Do it again!"

Silence.

Infuriated by the catastrophic intensity of the situation, Hans' pace became speedier and speedier as the necessity of moving fast began to outweigh the need for caution. Making his way to where he had last heard Lea, he called out once more.

"Lea?" he cried. He stopped, waiting to hear her voice. He did.

"Hans!" she shouted, "There's a man. He-" her voice was cut short. She was close. _A...a man?_ _No, there couldn't be._ The island was entirely empty except for-

"You!" he screamed into the darkness, fully enraged by the realization. Letting go of the wall, Hans disregarded the pain in his knee, initiating an all-out sprint in Lea's direction. _But...it's been over a year. How did he survive?_ It didn't matter; the fury building in Hans was soon to be unleashed on the man who had so carelessly taken Lea. His jaw tightening, he continued his charge in the girl's direction. Then he saw the faint glow of a torch ahead, and stopped in his tracks. He heard the man's whispering voice, directed toward Lea, and began to slowly move toward the pair.

"It's a dead-end. Do you know the way out?" the man said, trying to charm the girl. It didn't work

"Yes," she deadpanned, "but I won't show you unless you let go of me." Hans noticed the man had a firm grasp around Lea's wrist with his right hand, his left holding the torch.

"How stupid do you think I am? I let you go, and you'll just go running into the dark." Hans was closer now.

"You're right," the girl conceded, "at least give me back my shell."

"Why?" he asked in an obviously rhetorical way. The girl, however, still answered.

"It's special," she said. Hans could see the girl's face, tears now beginning to build up behind her eyes, "I...I need it. It was given to me by someone special." Hans could have sworn she looked in his direction, but only for a quick moment. She turned her gaze to the man holding her wrist. "I promise not to make any noise, just give it back." Hans was getting dangerously close now, just a few more steps...

Hans' knee buckled, and the sound of the prince collapsing onto the stone floor alerted the man of his presence. Hans gathered himself and made a move for the man, but he wasn't quick enough. The man backed against the wall and held the torch just inches from Lea's face.

"Don't come any closer!" the man yelled at a now upright Hans, "Just...just stay back!" The man's face was a blend of fear and anger, but Hans wasn't focused on his expression.

"You," Hans said, calmly enough to bring a surprised look to both the man and Lea's face, "I know you."

"I'm shocked you remember," said the man, "after you abandoned us on the beach." A genuine look of surprise appeared of the prince's face.

"Abandon you?" he asked, trying to understand the man's words and prevent the situation from escalating out of control at the same time, "I...I would _never_."

"_Liar!_" screamed the man, holding the torch closer to the girl's face, "The other man, he said you abandoned us...he said..." the man, unsure of his own words, was dangerously close to hurting the girl.

"He lied to you," spoke Hans, hiding the intense amount of nervousness he felt behind a calm and collected tone, "He sent me away, he abandoned _me_!" Hans was telling the truth. After _Southern Storm_ had wrecked at sea, and the first of the four survivors died, one of the remaining two men had threatened Hans, demanding he leave. He had.

"But...he said...he said you left us," the man spoke frantically, waving the torch around Lea's face.

"Don't hurt her!" Hans yelled, making no attempt to hide his fear. The man only laughed.

"Does she know what you did? What a bad man you really are?" the man asked, grinning. He looked at the girl, now addressing her, "Little girl, did you know _this_ man," he said, pointing at Hans with the torch. Hans moved to take advantage of the man's actions, but Lea beat him to it.

The young girl threw her free hand at the torch, grasping it. In an instant, Hans threw a fist at the man's shoulder, causing him to release the torch. In the next moment, Hans shot his other hand into the man's neck with a speed and ferocity he didn't know he had. The man gasped for air, but Hans didn't let go. Fighting to survive, the man's arms and legs began to frantically spasm, trying to grab hold of Hans, of anything they could. The prince pressed harder.

"What did he mean when he said you were a bad man?" Lea interrupted, staring at Hans with bright blue eyes that seemed green by the light of the torch. He looked to Lea and then back to the man, a look of disgust appearing on his face as he threw his hands back, releasing the man. He returned his eyes to the girl.

"I...I tried to hurt some people," he said, regret in his voice. Lea could hear the beginnings of a sob as the prince closed his eyes, hot tears running down his cheeks. She interrupted.

"Well...did you?" she asked, "Hurt them, I mean." She looked at Hans, and he couldn't help but burst into tears.

She approached the prince, attempting to comfort him, but the man on the ground reached for her. Hans opened his eyes, and in a blind rage he grasped the man's throat harder than he had previously. Much harder.

"Don't touch her!" he snarled, tears still running down his face. The girl backed away from the man on the ground and stood, wiping the dirt from the back of her shorts. Hans looked up at Lea and saw a look in her eye, one he had never seen. She was angry.

"It doesn't matter if you hurt those people before," she said to Hans, staring at the man on the ground as he gasped for air, "but this man," she paused, correcting her mistake, "this _monster_," she said, returning her eyes to her prince, "I want you to hurt him. Hurt him so that he can never hurt anyone else again."

With that sentiment, the girl turned and began to make her way into the cave's darkness, leaving the torch for Hans. When he was sure the girl was gone, the prince spoke.

"The other man, where is he?" asked an enraged Hans, loosening his grip enough to hear the man speak.

"He...he died. A few months back. Now, please...just let me go-" the man's words were interrupted as the hands around his neck released, and Hans turned away. Gasping for air, the man continued to speak, "Thank you-"

He didn't manage the last word as Hans whirled around, grabbing the man's head and plowing it into the jagged edge of the cave's rocky walls with a force of equal intensity to his emotions. Standing, the prince wiped the blood off his hands and onto the dead man's clothes, grabbed the torch off the ground, and made his way into the darkness of the cave.


	9. Chapter 9

"What are we going to do?" exclaimed a frantic Anna, pacing around the ballroom and waving her arms furiously about her head as she talked. Though the princess was merely acting in concern for the Queen, Elsa found her sister's panic-stricken tone unsettling.

"Anna," she began, trying to calm the stressing girl, "it's going to be fine." Elsa wasn't sure if she believed her own words, but she shifted her eyes away from Anna, now gazing through a window and at the setting sun, continuing to speak, "You need to overcome any unease the situation may be causing you and-"

"_May_ be?" her sister snapped, hostility and despair equally present on her face. Elsa had obviously struck a nerve. "Any _unease_ the situation _may be _causing me?" the girl released a quiet chuckle, but her furious tone turned to solemn, "The person in this world I love more than anything is going to die." The simple way she said the words sent a chill down Elsa's spine. "There's no _maybe_ about my feelings," Anna spoke compassionately, stepping to her sister and gently placing her hands around the Queen's. "I'm scared," she confessed, a single sob escaping her throat as she stared into Elsa's eyes.

"Don't be," she replied in an attempt to comfort her sister, "we'll fix this." Anna's eyes remained focused on Elsa. "All you need to think about is..." she trailed off, having forgotten entirely about the wedding. About Kristoff. _Remember to smile._ "Just worry about the wedding."

"Kristoff can wait until after you get help. Once everything is okay, then-"

"I _don't_ know that everything will be okay!" Elsa screamed, finally breaking under the stress of the situation. Seeing Anna's heartbroken expression, the Queen calmed down, regretting the outburst, and spoke with a more collected voice, "I don't know how long I have. If we... if _I_ can't fix this," she felt the beginnings of a sob creep up the back of her throat, and tried to swallow it away. Instead, Elsa broke into tears, falling to her knees.

Anna bent down, gently resting her arms around Elsa. She tried to console her crying sister, but was stopped by the girl's distorted, tear-filled words.

"I need to see my little sister married," Elsa cried out, louder than either of the two girl's had anticipated, "before..." she continued in her watery attempt to speak, but the words didn't come easy, and Elsa hung her head down, defeated, completely giving in to her body's urge to cry.

"You will," Anna spoke in a sympathetic yet sure voice, forgetting all but her sister, "I promise."

For what seemed like an eternity the two girls didn't move, merely holding one another as Anna ran her fingers through her sister's hair and Elsa cried into the younger girl's shoulder. After what the princess deemed a long enough time of weeping on the ballroom's floor, Anna helped her sister up and began walking Elsa toward the stairs, speaking softly to her.

"Let's get you to bed."

Upon reaching her destination, Anna didn't have to open the door to Elsa's bedchamber to realize her mistake. Instead of opening the door, she turned around, leading her sister towards her and Kristoff's own room.

As they entered the dark room, Elsa held back her sobbing long enough to speak, realizing where she was. "This isn't my-" she began, but Anna stopped her, placing a finger over the Queen's mouth.

"You're staying with me tonight," she said, stubbornly, giving a comforting smile to her sister, "Wait here, I'm going to get you some clothes to sleep in." With that, the girl made her way out of the room and toward Elsa's, leaving her sister alone in the dark.

When Anna returned, sleepwear in her arms, a wave of heartwarming joy rushed through her as she marveled at the beauty before her. An exhausted Elsa was completely passed out on the bed. Careful not to wake the Queen from her slumber, Anna gently placed the clothes in her arms on the ground and tiptoed to the bed, removing the shoes from Elsa's feet. She pulled the blankets to under her sister's chin before walking over to the wardrobe herself and changing into appropriate clothes, being careful still not to wake the sleeping girl.

Maneuvering her way under the sheets without disturbing Elsa, Anna joined her sister in the comfort of the bed. The princess stared at the beauty that lay next to her with loving eyes before sliding her way to the Queen, remaining under the coziness of the blankets. Pushing herself against the exhausted girl, Anna's arms enveloped her sister, pulling her close. Anna placed her lips against the girl's cheek, and rested her head on Elsa's rising and falling chest, keeping her arms wrapped lovingly around her big sister.

Though Elsa's body was cold to the touch, the embrace warmed Anna more than any fire could have.

Elsa awoke to the blissful sensation of Anna's warm breath against her neck. Turning to find her sister sleeping with her arms strewn around Elsa, she returned the embrace with one of equal compassion, gently kissing the sleeping girl on the nose as she did. As Elsa laid there, arms entangled with her sleeping sister, she realized she was in Anna's room, and still wearing her dress. Without disturbing Anna, Elsa turned her head, looking around the unlit room, allowing her eyes to adjust to the darkness. Noticing clothes appropriate for sleeping on the floor, clothes which she assumed had been intended for her use in the first place due to their being from her own personal wardrobe, Elsa detached herself from Anna, quietly moving to pick up the garments. It wasn't until she had the clothing in her hands that she noticed Kristoff, sleeping in a chair by the door. A look of pity on her face was followed by a half-hearted smile as the Queen approached him, softly pressing her free hand onto the sleeping man's shoulder, waking him. Not making a sound, Elsa placed a finger over his lips, preventing him from speaking. She silently motioned toward the bed where Anna slept, and the man nodded. Elsa watched Kristoff stand as he walked over to his sleeping fiancé, giving her a kiss as he carefully climbed under the warmth of the blankets. Elsa couldn't help but smile at the couple before she turned and left, careful to close the door behind her.

A few minutes later, Elsa had changed into the nightwear, and she climbed into her own bed, determined to get a few more hours of sleep before sunrise. Alone in her bed, however, she found herself much colder than she had been when in bed with her sister. Ordinarily, the cold wouldn't have bothered the Queen, but the warmth that she desired from Anna was different. Unable to sleep, Elsa simply stared at the ceiling of her bedchamber, rejoicing in the memory of her sister's warm, comforting breath.

A sound from within the castle made Elsa sit up much faster than she would have liked, causing a rather uncomfortable head-rush. Anxiously, she sat in her bed, listening for the sound to make itself heard once more. Elsa was startled by the sudden creak of a door opening, but the fear the sound created quickly dissipated as she saw who it was entering her room.

"What are you doing here?" asked Elsa, her voice booming over the silence.

"Shhh!" Anna hushed, approaching Elsa's bed, speaking in a whisper, "Keep it down. Do you want to wake the whole castle?" Both girls giggled at the remark, Anna clambering onto the mattress as she continued, "I thought I'd come join you in here."

"But Kristoff-"

"Is a big boy," she interrupted, whispering into Elsa's ear. The Queen could feel Anna's breath as she talked, "he'll be fine by himself. I thought..." She paused, biting her lip, and stared into her sister's eyes, "I thought you needed me more."

Rather than respond with words, Elsa flung her hands to the princess' face, lustfully pressing her lips against Anna's. Instantly, the Queen regretted her decision, fearing she had been wrong in interpreting her sister's tone as one of desire, but all regret disappeared when Anna opened her mouth, sticking her soft, pink tongue against Elsa's lips, begging for more. Pulling her lips open in response, Elsa welcomed her sister's tongue into her mouth, brushing her own tongue against Anna's teeth. The excitement the Queen felt was matched only by the sudden, wet throbbing between Elsa's legs. Anna tenderly pulled her lips away from Elsa's mouth, playfully biting at her sister's ear.

"I want you," she whimpered in a voice filled with desire, putting her hands against Elsa's flushed chest and forcing the girl onto her back, "I _need_ you," Anna moaned the words as she pulled off Elsa's nightgown, cupping her sister's breasts as she returned her tongue to Elsa's mouth. The Queen's mind was going blank, all she could think about was the ache between her thighs, and how much she wanted- how much she needed- Anna to relieve the stress. Moving her hands from Anna's neck down to her midsection, Elsa pulled her sister's body flush against hers, a wanton moan escaping her throat as Anna's hand moved to Elsa's shoulders, the girl slowly moving her lips down the Queen's naked body, kissing as she moved closer, and closer-

Elsa reacted intensely, her hips jerking straight up in response to Anna's tongue inside of her. She gasped, barely able to control her breathing as her hands instinctively flew to Anna's head. Both the joy and the ache Elsa felt grew stronger as her sister's tongue moved about inside her. She could feel the pressure building, the rumble in Anna's throat exciting Elsa even further. She was breathing uncontrollably now, her heart beating impossibly fast. Her hands shot out to either side of her, forcefully grabbing hold of the sheets. Anna's handiwork was audible now, a smile on her face as she slurped her sister. Elsa couldn't hold out and longer.

She let loose a hedonistic cry, screaming with intense pleasure, arching her back as her hips jolted and a satisfying rush of ecstasy ran through her. Anna gave one final, wet kiss to Elsa's mound before standing on her hands and knees and moving back up to meet her sister. Gracefully, she laid her body against Elsa's, their breasts pressed against one another's, and wrapped her arms around the Queen.

"How was that?" eagerly asked Anna. Elsa could hear the smile on her sister's face.

"It was..." she began, thinking of words to describe the bliss of the encounter, "perfect." Returning the princess' embrace, Elsa tenderly put her arms around Anna, kissing her on the head. Anna moved her head just enough to give Elsa a loving kiss on the cheek, before returning her head to its cozy position above the Queen's breast.

As both the girls drifted into sleep, a smile spread across Elsa's face at the feeling of Anna's warm breath against her neck.


	10. Chapter 10

When Hans finally reached the cave's exit, he was surprised by the sudden, blinding light of the sun. Only now mindful of exactly how much time Lea and he had been inside the cave, the prince began to follow the path in front of him, making his way back to the beach at the fastest pace his swollen knee and dizzy head would allow. Hans had not expected to feel even the slightest bit of discontent for what he had just done. He hadn't expected killing a man to leave him overcome with feelings of regret. But it did. And no matter how hard he tried to convince himself that he had done it for the safeguarding of Lea, Hans knew the only real reason that a man laid lifelessly on the dark floor of the cave behind him was a reason built purely on selfishness; Hans didn't want anyone on the island to know about his past.

Making his way out of the jungle and across the blistering white sand, Hans approached the crowds of men carrying supplies from the beach to the few boats that waited in the water. It was happening; he was going home. Lost in thought, the prince failed to see Lea and her father walk up to him. The man's voice surprised him.

"Lea tells me you two were on a little adventure," he spoke to Hans, a grin on his face. _There's nothing little about it._

"Yeah?" replied Hans, hesitantly. He bit his lip, having forgotten entirely about having to explain the events of the previous hours to his fellow campmates. "What'd she tell you?"

"Well," the man looked to his daughter in a playful tone, and she faced him with a small giggle. Lea's father was speaking in a voice too pleasant to have been told anything by the girl. He continued. "The young lady here won't tell me anything. She says it's a matter of the upmost secrecy, information to be disclosed strictly on a need to know basis. I thought I'd ask you if I do, in fact, need to know." As he said the last words, maintaining his light demeanor, he gave Hans a look that made it clear he wanted to know where they had been.

"I think you do need to know," Hans proclaimed, matching the lightheartedness of the two standing before him, "where we were, I mean." Though he looked to Lea's father, he couldn't help but notice the girl wink at him before he continued. "We were back at the cave. Her Majesty wanted to say goodbye to the monster before we left the island," he looked to Lea, "And while he was nowhere to be found, the only reason we didn't find him was because-"

"He's moved on to a different, better place," Lea interrupted, looking straight to Hans. _She knows what I did. _It took Hans a moment. _Of course she knows what you did, she asked you to do it._ The prince couldn't help but feel that murder wasn't what Lea had meant when she had asked Hans to hurt the man, but he pushed the thought out of his mind.

"A different cave, I'm afraid," he spoke to the girl's father now, "he's left the island."

"And now we have to leave too," Lea added, looking down to her feet. She stood there in silence for a few moments before looking back up to Hans, "to a better place." She smiled as she spoke, clearly having an easier time now accepting the finality of the departure. Her father nodded, and then looked to Hans, a look of approval on his face. _Undeserved approval._

"Well, if everyone's gotten their closure, I think it's about time we got this show on the road. Lea, go find your mother." The girl ran off in a heartbeat, disappearing into the haze of moving bodies on the beach. Before Hans had a moment to say anything, Lea's father too disappeared into the business of people.

Hans faced the jungle, sitting atop a rock by the edge of the beach as clouds moved against a tangerine and violet sky above him. The sun would be setting within the hour, moving all the supplies and people to the ship had taken longer than anyone had expected. As he sat there, staring into the jungle, he couldn't shake the feeling that he didn't deserve the trust of Lea's father. _I killed a man, and lied about it._ But that wasn't what was bothering Hans the most. He had moved past that, deeming that both the act itself and the lie that had ensued had been the correct course of action. That wasn't what was bothering the prince at all. It was Anna. _I left her for dead. I left her for dead and then went to kill her sister._ His thoughts were interrupted as Lea's father approached.

"I'm ready to go if you are," the man spoke, and Hans turned to face him. He hadn't noticed until now that there was no one else around but the two men. After Lea had gotten on the first boat with her mother, Hans had stopped paying any mind to the happenings of the beach. Now, empty and deserted of all but a small boat, he and Lea's father would be the last two to row out to the ship.

"We'd best get going then," exclaimed a buoyant Hans, brought to life by the realization these footsteps would be his last on the island, "wouldn't want them to leave without us." Lea's father let out a hearty laugh, slapping Hans on the back as the two made their way to the boat.

Once inside, the two men began to row.

"How's it feel?" asked Hans, "To know you're finally going to get Lea home?" The man chuckled, answering Hans' question.

"Better than you can imagine. But I can't help but feel..." he trailed off, unsure of himself.

"What?" asked Hans, not sure what the girl's father was trying to say, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," the man replied quickly, returning the conversation to normal, "It's just that Lea's spent her entire life on the island. I'm not sure she'll adapt well to-"

"Everything will be fine," Hans comforted, "she'll do fine. Lea's a great girl."

"Smart too," the man added.

"Yeah," grinned Hans, "she is, isn't she?" Lea's father didn't say anything; he only smiled, staring out across the water as he worked the paddles. The two sat there a moment, in equal admiration for the little girl waiting on the ship. "Did you know she wants to live in a castle?" jokingly asked Hans, interrupting the silence. The man looked to Hans.

"What girl her age doesn't?" he remarked, laughing.

"I didn't have the heart to tell her castles are only for two types of people," Hans admitted, a look of disappointment on his face.

"Royals and their servants," he agreed, "love to be one, hate to be the other." At that moment, Hans wanted more than anything to tell Lea's father who he was. To tell him of his royal bloodline. To tell him The Southern Isles would always have a castle with open doors for Lea and her family.

"You know," Hans began, but he decided against it. Now wasn't the time. Covering for himself, he changed the subject, "you never told me, where exactly are you and your wife from? Before you were on the island. Before Lea." It was the question Hans needed to ask, and it only had one bad answer.

"There's something I need to tell you," replied Lea's father, ignoring Hans' question, "something the captain is going to tell his crew as soon as we arrive at that ship." The prince was partially agitated by the man's disregard for his question, but his interest in what the girl's father said now allowed him to ignore that.

"I'm listening," he responded, desperately hoping the news wouldn't be half as bad as the man in front of him was making it out to be, "what's so important?"

"Once we board that ship," he said, staring at Hans intently, "we're heading straight for Arendelle. Do you know why that is?" Hans could think of one reason, but it did not entitle a happy ending for the prince.

"Why?" he asked, dreading the answer, "do you live there?"

"Well, yes," spoke Lea's father. He smiled as he spoke his next words, "I'm the king."


End file.
